Rail-joint.



Patented Oct. 30, I900.

SJ G. MILLER.

RAIL JOINT. 1 (Application filed. Feb. 12, 1900.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOR WITNESSES "I ATTORNEYS.

rm: norms PEfEns co. nuoraurna, WASNINDYON. n, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL G. MILLER, OF MCKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of 'Letters Patent N 0. 660,864, datedOctober 30, 1900.

n Application filed IebrnarylZ, 1900. Serial No. 4.926- (No model.)

ToaZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL G. MILnnR, a

citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at'McKeesport, in'the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRail-Joints, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inrail-joints, and has for its principal object to effect a perfect jointbetween two abutting rails and secure the rails without the aid of theordinary bolts.

Another object of the invention is to construct a rail-joint comprisinga chair to engage the ends of the rails and which is further providedwith an expansion-rail,the chair-and expansion-rail, in connection Witha strengthening-bar, being adaptedto support and retain in position therails of a railroad-track, dispensing entirely with the use of bolts orother fastening means which usually extend through the web of the railsand fish-plates, weakening to a great extent these ends, as well as inmost cases causing the rails to become out of alinement, owing to theloosening of the bolts extending through the web of the rails and thefish-plate.

A further object of the invention is to construct a railroad-rail jointof this character which will be extremely simple in its construction,strong, durable, efficient in its use, and comparatively inexpensive tomanufacture and set up.

With the above and other objects in view the invention finally consistsin the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, to behereinafter more fully described, and specifically pointed out in theclaim.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and whereinlike numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views,

' within the chair and the rails proper also in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of my improved rail-joint in position, showing a partof the rails of the track supported thereby. Fig. 2 is a top 'plan viewthereof, showing the expansion-rail extending outwardly from the bar forthe rail-sections.

chair. Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof, showing the expansion-railwhen the rail-section is broken away and the strengthening rod or Fig. 4is a crosssectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

I construct my improved rail-chair of one piece of suitable metallicmaterial, and which consists of a base 1 for supporting the base-of arail, and upwardlyextending sides 2 3, formed integral with the base 1,the inner face of which is formed to the contour of the base and web ofthe rails 4 of the track. The upper end of the sides 23 engage the lowerface of the rail-tread. The outer face of the side 3 is formedcurvilinear in contour and is of greater thickness than the side 2,which is cut away in the manner shown to permit of the operation ofthetread-flange of the carwheel. g V

5 indicates an expansion rail which is mounted within the chair and isof-the same shape as the rails proper and also in alinement therewith.The expansion rail 5, as

well as the rails 4, is provided with an elon-' gated recess extendingfrom the bottom upwardly through the web to permit of the mounting ofthe rails proper and the expansion-rail upon the strengthening andsupporting rods or bars 6, which are of any suitable length; but thepreferred length is such that,

when the rods are in position the end of one rod engages the end of theadjacent rod centrally of the rails proper. The chair is secured to theties by the usual spikes engaging in the openings 7, formed in each sidethereof, although the chair can be dispensed with, if desired, and therails proper and expansionrail connected to the ties, the supporting-barmounted in the rails proper and expansionrail and forming a suitablejoint.

In connecting the rails together if the chair is desired to be used thesame is secured to the ties and the supporting and strengthening rodarranged therein. The expansion-rail is then mounted upon the rod andmoved mounted upon the rod at each end of the expansion-rail and alsomoved within the chair. The ends of the rails 4 engage the ends of theexpansion-rail; but, as stated above, if necessary the chair can bedispensed with and the rails 4 connected to the ties in any suitablemanner.

Th e expan sion-rail 5 is preferably employed in connection with thisjoint, as by its use there are two spaces provided at the ends of therails instead of one, as would he the case were the ends of the railsproper abutting (or nearly so) within the chair, and these spaces maytherefore be narrower than would he required for the single space andthe drop of the Wheels at the joint avoided.

It is thought that the many advantages of my improved device can bereadily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, and it will he noted that variouschanges may he made in the details of construction without departingfrom the general spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure hy Letters Patent, is

In a rail'joint, the com hination, with the rails provided in their Weband base with a longitudinally-extending recess, and a strengthening-barfitted within said recess and entirely filling the same, of anexpansion-rail mounted upon the strengthening-bar between the ends ofthe rails proper, and a chair having sides 2, to embrace the sides ofthe enpansion-rail and of the rails proper at the ends thereof, the side3 of said chair being of greater thickness throughout its length thanthe side 2, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

SAMUEL G. MILLER. Witnesses:

C. J. MCUARTY, JOHN W. STEWART.

